Former Leaf hit with the NHL’s maximum fine after a heated altercation

Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Curtis Douglas was fined $2,018.23, the maximum fine allowable under the Collective Bargaining Act (CBA).

Douglas, who plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning, was fined as the "aggressor" in a fight between the Florida Panthers with defenseman Niko Mikkola.

The fight occurred at 6:33 in the third period Thursday in which Douglas and Mikkola got into a scrap, a fight that had been the climax of a heated game between the two Florida rivals. Douglas was initially assessed a five-minute major penalty.

The play was retaliation to an incident between Mikkola and Lightning star forward Nikita Kucherov, in which Mikkola hit the Russian winger while his back was turned, causing Douglas to target Mikkola on his next shift.

Tensions were additionally heightened as during the scrap, Panthers defenseman Sandis Vilmanis knocked himself into Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak.

Douglas, the NHL's tallest player at 6'9, spent two seasons in the Leafs organization, although he never played for Toronto. Douglas made his NHL debut this season for Tampa Bay.

Douglas has two points in 29 games this season for Tampa Bay. In 80 games in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, Douglas had 13 goals, 22 assists, & 35 points in 80 games played.

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